Supreme Court Decision Syllabus (SCOTUS Podcast)

Dawson v Steager (state/federal tax discrimination)

States can not have tax breaks that discriminate against federal employees who otherwise meet the qualifications for said tax break.

Moore v Texas (Death penalty and mental deficits)

Rulling that Mr. Moore is intelectually disabled enough to be ineligible for the death penalty.

Helsinn v Teva (Patents “on sale”)

“On sale” exception to patents. Also, i had no idea how to pronounce “palonosetron”, close ‘nuff i reckon.

New Prime v Oliveira (Arbitration)

Court holds an independent contractor truck driver can not be forced into arbitration because the 1925 arbitration act excludes transportation workers who are engaged in interstate commerce.  Also holds that “independent contractors” are considered to have signed “contracts of employment” even though they are not in an explicit employer employee relationship. Full disclosure: as a long time truck driver, i have long known companies like new prime, swift, and cr england, to be engaged in pre...

Stokeling v US (ACCA Robbery)

Robbery is a violent offense for purposes of the ACCAs sentence enhancments. 

Culbertson v Berryhill

The 25% cap on social security attorney fees only covers in court representation, not representation before the agency.

Schein v Archer & White

Arbitration agreements that contractually deligate questions of arbitrarily to an arbitrator do exactly that — no matter if the request seeking to compell arbitration is “wholy groundless”.

Shoop v Hill

Mostly a decision that 2254 (d) (1) apeals can not use court cases that didn’t exist at the time of the origin of the appeal.

Escondido v Emmons

Court rules that “right to be free of excessive force” is a bit to highly generalized to be considered “clearly established law” in regards to stripping qualified immunity. Court also holds you can’t reinstate an excessive force claim, without any proof or even discussion, as to if the defendant even touched the plaintiff — especially after it has already been decided by another court that the defendant did not, because of body camera video footage proving no contact. (Sadly, not a joke).

US v Stitt

Burglary can include mobile residences and or vehicles adapted for sleeping.

Weyerhaeuser v USFWS

The Dusky Gopher Frog case. Regarding designation of critical habitat.

Mt Lemon v Guido (ADEA)

Court hold that ADEA numerosity limitation does not apply to state government subdivisions.

Pavan v Smith (2016 opinion)

Decision from 2016, in re gay couples and birth certificates.

Trinity Lutheran v Comer Missouri (2016 opinion)

Opinion from 2016, just to keep the feed active Court holds Missouri can not deny a grant to a church based on the fact it is a church. (RJ likes this one because his beloved mother was a teacher at a lutheran pre-school for most of her life).

NC v Covington (gerrymandering)

Court upholds part of a gerrmandering solution.

Sexton v Beaudreaux

Strickland claim review.

Sause v Bauer

Court addresses a pro se 1st and 4th amendment concern (Lady told to stop praying).

Janus v AFSCME (1a Unions)

Court rules union agency fees are a a violation of 1st amendment.

FL v GA (Water)

Water rights remand.

Trump v Hawaii

Court upholds modified travel ban.

NIFLA v Becerra (1a abortion)

FACT ACT likley violates the 1st amendment.

Abbott v Perez (gerrymandering)

Court upholds several districts, and does not uphold one

Ohio v Amex (anti trust)

Amex’s anti steering provisions do not violate section one of the Sherman anti trust act.

Currier v VA (vol. severance - criminal)

Court rules voluntary severance of charges, does not create a double jeopardy issue in this specific instance).

Ortiz v US (Military Justice)

Challenges to military justice system.

Carpenter v US (4a Cell location data)

Court rules requests for cellphone location data are 4th amendment searches.

WesternGeco v Ion Geophysical (Patent)

Extraterritoriality of patent infringement.

SD v Wayfair (internet purchase taxing)

Court reverses quill and allows states to collect taxes on internet sales.

Wisc Central railroad v US (Retirement taxing)

Court says government can’t tax stock options for railroad workers.

Lucia v SEC (appointments violation)

SEC ALJs must be constitutionally appointed

Pereira v Sessions (notice to appear)

Court holds notice to appear has to have a time and date in order to actually be a notice to appear.

Lozman v Riviera beach (1st - retaliation)

First amendment retaliation, under narrow circumstances in this case.

Rosales-Mireles v US (Guidelines Errors)

Vacate of sentence based on incorectly calculated guidelines range

Gill v Whitford (Gerrymandering)

Court upholds an obvious statewide political gerrymander, for plaintiffs failure to show that they were actually harmed.

Chavez Menza v US (sentence reductions)

Court determines a limited explanation of a “disproportionate” sentence reduction (vs the guidelines reduction) is appropriate.

Benisek v Lamone

Denial of preliminary injunction...well past its requested time table

MN Voters aly. v Mansky

Court strikes down MN law on political apperal inside the polling places (limited to a problem with wording ambiguity)

Animal science products v Hebei Welcome (deference to foreign governments)

Court rules “bound to defer” should not be the standard of deference for submissions of foreign government agencies to US Courts.

Washington v US (Indigenous peoples' Treaties)

Court affirms the below judgement because of a 4/4 Split.

Sveen v Melin (Contracts / Divorce)

Court upholds Minnesota law about life insurance bennificiary designation revocation upon divorce

China Agritech v Resh

More fun with “tolling”

Husted v Randolph institute (removal from voter rolls)

Ohio’s way of determining if a voter has moved or died, and subsequent removal of said person from their voting rolls is lawful.

Washington v US (Indian Treaties)

Court affirms the below judgement because of a 4/4 Split. Support the show (https://paypal.me/SCOTUSsyllabus)

Lamar v Appling (“statement respecting”)

Court decides what “statement respecting” means in re the bankruptcy code.

Azar v Garza (Abortion/Moot)

Court in part moots an abortion debate.

Hughes v US (type c sentincing reductions)

Court rules type C sentencing agreements can be considered for modification after a retroactive sentincing guidelines reduction.

Masterpiece Cake v Colo Civil rights Commission

1st Amendment free exercise over-rules civil rights of a gay couple in this specific instance - due to the colorado civil rights commission’s obvious hostility to a religious belief.

Koons v US (sentencing reductions)

Masterpiece Cake v Colo Civil rights Commission

1st Amendment free exercise over-rules civil rights of a gay couple in this specific instance - due to the colorado civil rights commission’s obvious hostility to a religious belief.Support the show (https://paypal.me/SCOTUSsyllabus)

Collins v Virginia (4A curtilage)

Supreme court refuses to grant 4th autombile exception to an officer who encroaches upon a home’s curtilage for a search.